Portugal Raises Citizenship Wait Period to 10 Years for Citizens of Certain Countries

• Portugal's revised Nationality Law took effect on May 19, 2026, introducing stricter requirements for acquiring Portuguese citizenship
• The new law scrapped the special regime for descendants of Sephardic Jews and tightened rules for children born in Portugal to foreign parents
• Nigerians and other non-EU, non-Portuguese-speaking nationals now face a 10-year legal residency requirement before they can apply for naturalisation

Portugal has raised the minimum legal residency period required to apply for naturalisation to 10 years for nationals of countries where Portuguese is not an official language and that are not European Union member states, under changes to its Nationality Law that took effect on May 19, 2026.

The revised rules were introduced through Organic Law No. 1/2026, published in Portugal's Official Gazette on May 18, and apply only to applications submitted after the law came into force.

Pending applications continue to be assessed under the previous rules.

Portuguese citizenship: Who is affected by the new law?

The changes affect the following groups:

1. Nationals of countries where Portuguese is not an official language and that are not EU member states, who must now complete 10 years of legal residence in Portugal before applying for naturalisation.

2. Nationals of Portuguese-speaking countries and EU member states, who face a seven-year residency requirement.

3. Children born in Portugal to foreign parents, who must now have at least one parent with five years of legal residence, be enrolled in and regularly attend compulsory schooling, and meet additional conduct requirements if they have reached the age of criminal responsibility.

4. Adoptees, whose acquisition of Portuguese nationality is no longer automatic and now requires a formal declaration of intent.

5. Descendants of Sephardic Jews, who lose access to the special regime that previously allowed them to claim Portuguese nationality.

6. Great-grandchildren of Portuguese citizens by birth and stateless persons who have legally resided in Portugal for at least four years, who gain new pathways to nationality under the revised law.

Portuguese citizenship: Stricter naturalisation requirements

Beyond the extended residency periods, the law introduces additional conditions that all naturalisation applicants must satisfy.

These include demonstrating sufficient knowledge of Portuguese culture, history, and national symbols; showing understanding of the fundamental rights, duties, and political structure associated with Portuguese nationality; and signing a solemn declaration of commitment to the principles of democratic governance.

Applicants must also be able to prove they can support themselves financially, must not be subject to restrictive measures imposed by the United Nations or the European Union, and must not have received an effective prison sentence of more than three years for offences including terrorism, violent crime, organised crime, crimes against state security, or aiding illegal immigration.

For children born in Portugal to foreign parents, the law now requires that, at the time of birth, one parent must have legally resided in Portuguese territory for at least five years, with valid documentary proof of that residence presented at the time the nationality declaration is made.

The Portuguese government has 90 days from the law's entry into force to update the Nationality Regulations to align with the new provisions.

Requirements for Portuguese long-term residency

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that Portugal shared the requirements for its long-term residency.

According to Portugal's official Diplomatic Portal, seven core documents form the baseline of any residency application, regardless of the purpose of the intended stay.

The first requirement is a completed and signed national visa application form. For minors or individuals who are legally incapacitated, a legal guardian must sign on their behalf.